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mediterranean-interior-design

Mediterranean Interior Design

Summer is fast approaching – even if it’s still a little chilly here in London. But while scorching summer days are feeling ever elusive, it’s super easy to bring a sense of Southern European coastal elegance into your home. Laid-back and timeless, Mediterranean-inspired interior design can create a touch of elegance and charm in any home. It’s been a popular interior design style for decades, and for good reason.

top-5-trendiest-shoot-locations-in-south-london

Top 5 trendiest shoot locations in South London

First, we took a trip around East London, looking at the best properties it had to offer, then we analysed North London, deciding on our top 5 locations in that distinct pocket of London. With locations ranging from bachelor pad-style homes in Brixton, to architect-designed new builds in Wimbledon, this week we bring you our top 5 trendiest shoot locations in South London.

in-conversation-with-mark-dolan-of-honeycomb-2

In Conversation with Mark Dolan of Honeycomb

Following on from our incredible house tour of Honeycomb, with the owner and director Mark Dolan, looking at the the features that make his home unique, his favourite elements and the challenges he faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with him for a short interview to pick his brains about his favourite features, areas and why his home is the perfect shoot location

in-the-spotlight-maximalist-design

In the Spotlight: Maximalist Design

After what feels like a lifetime of ‘greige’ living rooms, paired with carefully positioned coffee table books, next to the same arrangement of Diptyque or Jo Malone candles, it’s a pleasant change of pace to see maximalist design entering the mainstream again. Read on if you’d like to leran about what this design style is, its key characteristics, design tips and unpack where it came from and why it’s so popular right now.

top-interior-design-trends-for-2022

Top Interior Design Trends for 2022

2021 was a year of change and growth for everyone – homes have become a hybrid of living and working, as well as our much needed sanctuaries away from the uncertainty of the pandemic. Nevertheless, our endeavour has been seen front and centre and we have stood up to all tests, turning things like working from home into positives. Make sure to read on as we look further into the changes in design, what colours will be on the rise and the materials you should be looking out for in 2022.

studios-lifestyle-vs-blank-canvas

Studios: Lifestyle vs Blank Canvas

Styled, lifestyle led studios or empty, blank canvas studios? Which style should you choose for your next shoot? While they both have their pros and cons, the key is to know what you’re looking to achieve in your final shots.

in-conversation-with-spratts-factory

In Conversation with Spratts Factory

We got to catch up with one of our amazing location owners Elisabeth who owns Spratts Factory. Spratts Factory was once a dog treat factory and was a huge design project for Elisabeth. The results are simply fantastic! Find out more below! What was your design inspiration for Spratts Factory? We pulled inspiration from many different places …

Continue reading “In Conversation with Spratts Factory”

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Keira Knightley at Lordship Park

Take a peek behind the scenes at Lordship Park with Keira Knightley shooting for Harper’s Bazaar

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Geri Bakewell

Geri Halliwell shoots for You Mag at our location Birchland

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It’s a jungle out there…

In recent years it’s become more and more recognised that being surrounded by plants in your living and working environments can have real health benefits, two of the main ones being improved psychological well-being and improved human health.

It’s widely thought that bringing more plants into your life can help to improve your mood, reduce stress levels and improve your productivity. There is also some evidence that they can improve air quality too.

in-conversation-with-celine-da-silva-of-celine

In Conversation with Celine Da Silva of Celine

Following on from our incredible house tour of Celine, with the fabulous owner Celine Da Silva, looking at the design elements within her home, why it’s been styled in such a way and any challenges she faced during the process; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, areas and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

spot-the-difference-at-tulum

Spot the Difference at Tulum

n our sixth edition of the classic spot the difference, we bring you Tulum. As always, it’s all a bit of fun, but if you can find all ten differences, you could get a half-price booking fee on your next shoot in September! Top tip – most of them are pretty obvious…

top-5-for-may

Top 5 for May

It’s that time of the month again! When we give you our monthly round up of the best locations to register with us over the last month. This month, we decided to opt for five family homes that differ greatly from one to the next. Make sure you read on to check out the locations, ranging from grand designs style homes, to vast renovated period properties; as always, we have all bases covered for you here.  

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Top five for November

As 2021 rapidly draws to a close, we thought we’d provide one last chance to populate your mood boards with breathtaking interior inspiration. What a year it has been for taking on new properties! Read on to check out our top five for November; you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more varied and eclectic mix of properties. From architect-designed new builds in London, to renovated barns and tropical family homes oozing with colour, there is something for everyone this month. 

daring-to-be-different

Daring to be different

Here at 1st Option we have never been short of unique and striking properties, ranging from the most incredible family homes to styled studios all the way to renovated gin distilleries. Since lockdown we may have had to put things on hold as shooting was not possible to continue, however, since the easing of lockdown …

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a-look-back-on-2019

A look back on 2019

2019 has come to a close and we are looking forward to the year ahead. Here at 1st Option we have had a very busy start to the year, but that doesn’t stop us having a look back with fond memories of our favourite shoots from 2019. With so many highlights, it was hard to …

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floral-fayre

Floral Fayre

Flowers & colour brighten up the world and they can help with interior design too

the-only-way-is-1st-option

The Only Way is 1st Option

Check our some of the shots from the Billie Faiers swimsuit shoot at our location Ambleside

pastel-de-nata

Pastel de Nata

With the onslaught of Spring it’s also got us thinking about pastel shades, who makes the best ones and where we might like to paint them… So, we did a straw poll with everyone here and asked them to pick their favourites and tell us why they like them!

in-the-spotlight-the-return-of-retro

In the Spotlight: The Return of Retro

The return of retro is upon us; following years of ‘greige’ and ‘fast fashion’ design trends leading the race, ‘retro’ is currently having a massive revival. Offering a great alternative to the fast homeware trend, people are now appreciating original, retro and vintage pieces for their classic design and durability. Stick with us as we deep dive into the trend, its origins, key characteristics, why it’s currently so popular and how to get it right in your own home.  

top-5-for-august

Top 5 for August

We’re back with our monthly instalment, looking at our top five new locations to have registered with us over the last month. August was another cracking month, taking on a gorgeous array of differing family homes across the capital. If you’re after sleek or eclectic, colourful or contemporary, we have you covered this month. Read on for more…

9-home-decor-accounts-you-should-already-be-following-part-2

9 home decor accounts you should already be following (Part 2)

The past two years have undoubtedly seen home decor Instagram accounts boom like never before. Lockdown had the world evaluating every inch of their homes; and where do you find inspiration in the 21st century? Instagram! Home decor accounts on Instagram are having their moment and for good reason – there are tens of thousands of accounts showcasing every style imaginable, all under the setting of someone’s real home. Not only do these accounts show how they style certain pieces, but many of them give you tips and tricks, ranging from how to style on a budget, to how to style in limited space and so much more. So check out our top 9 accounts to follow this year.

top-five-for-october

Top five for October

At the start of a new month, we like to rifle through the previous, to cherry-pick the best locations we had register with us for your perusal. October was an incredible month for new locations, with properties ranging from stately homes in Greater London, to classic architect-designed houses in the Surrey Hills. Read on as we break down our top five for October, giving you a wide selection of remarkable properties to shoot at. 

styled-studios

Styled Studios

Ten days have now passed since our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that there would be certain measures taken by the Government and Police Forces to ease aspects of this nationwide lockdown that has gripped us for the past nine weeks.  People are now allowed to come into contact with other individuals, as long as …

Continue reading “Styled Studios”

why-everyone-is-raving-about-the-rookery

Why everyone is raving about The Rookery

Thinking of renovating your home and maybe making some money as a shoot location? If you’d like to get an idea of what’s involved then read on…

top-5-scandi-locations

Top 5 Scandi locations…

Scandi style is a big deal right now, so we’ve picked our top 5 locations channelling the Eastern European trend

behind-the-scenes-with-ian-boddy-for-vogue-bambini

Behind-the-scenes with Ian Boddy for Vogue Bambini

Find out more about how Ian got into the business and what inspires him

top-5-for-january-february-23

Top 5 for January / February ’23

Our favourite locations taken on so far this year

in-conversation-with-marta-vilella-vila-of-roma

In Conversation with Marta Vilella-Vila of Roma

Following on from our incredible house tour of Roma, with the fabulous owner Marta Vilella-Vila, looking at the the features that make her home unique, her favourite elements and the challenges she faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, areas and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

glorious-gardens-10-of-the-best

Glorious gardens – 10 of the best

With spring’s dew and rain well and truly behind us and temperatures soaring into the high 30’s, there has never been a better time to get out into the garden! Ranging from London family homes with enchanting gardens, to country estates with the best views you’ll see this year, we just had to give a rundown of our best gardens to shoot at in 2022.

in-conversation-with-stephen-nash-of-nash

In conversation with Stephen from Nash

Following on from our incredible video tour of Nash, with the owner and outstanding interior designer Stephen Nash, looking at the the features that make his style unique, his favourite elements and the challenges he faced throughout the renovation process; we sat down with him for a short interview to pick his brains about his favourite features, areas and places on earth.

in-the-spotlight-coastal-design

In the Spotlight: Coastal Design

To many, coastal design encompasses blue and white everything – with seashells, glass bottles and anchors galore. If this is you, we can totally relate. Based on the name, it makes sense that coastal design incorporates these elements, however these elements are actually more typical of nautical décor. Coastal is decidedly less kitschy than nautical design. In its simplest definition, coastal design is beachy. Soft tones, a clean aesthetic and tons of natural light prevail, read on as we dig a little deeper into coastal design and its core principles.

ask-the-agent-episode-1

Ask the Agent: Episode 1

In our first youtube episode of the series Senior Account Manager Sophia answers the top questions we receive at 1st Option.

chamomile

Chamomile, heaven scent!

Take a look at our new London location house Chamomile, full of simple, elegant style!

ab-fab-the-movie-is-here-and-we-cant-contain

Ab Fab the Movie & 1st Option!

1st Option were happy to help with the main locations for the fantastic new Ab Fab movie!

in-conversation-with-elisabeth-ciarrocchi-from-spratts-factory

In Conversation with Elisabeth Ciarrocchi from Spratts Factory

Following on from our incredible house tour of Spratts Factory, with the fabulous owner Elisabeth Ciarrocchi, looking at the design elements within her fantastic renovation of a disused dog biscuit factory; we sat down with her for a short interview to pick her brains about her favourite features, what it’s like to live in a factory building and why her home is the perfect shoot location.

in-the-spotlight-japandi-design

In the Spotlight: Japandi Design

As the name suggests, Japandi design refers to the blend of Scandinavian and Japanese interior styles. Why would you blend these two unlikely trends? Well, they’re both actually fairly similar and promote similar core tenets, in fact elevating each other. If you want to get to grips with this ever popular design trend, make sure you read on as we deep dive into the trend’s characteristics, why Scandi and Japanese blend so well together and how to get it right in your own home. 

top-five-for-june-2

Top five for June

Carrying on in the same vein as the rest of the year, June saw us take on a wealth of fantastic shoot locations. Ranging from industrial barn conversions in Warwickshire, to eclectic family homes in North West London, there’s something for everyone this month. Your next shoot location could be on this list, so make sure you stick with us as we jump into our top five for June. 

my-home-my-haven-style-with-nash

My Home. My Haven. Style with Nash

In the first episode of our new video series, ‘My Home My Haven’, the wonderful Stephen, who is an incredible interior designer and owns our fabulous location Nash, takes you on a tour of the house, highlighting the features that make his style unique, his favourite elements and the challenges faced throughout the renovation process. If you are interested in design, this is a must watch, with a wealth of insightful, interesting and truly fascinating tips, tricks and stories!

top-tips-what-to-expect-when-registering-with-a-location-agency

Top Tips – What to Expect When Registering with a Location Agency

Registering your property with a Location Agency can be an incredibly thrilling, exciting and rewarding process, mentally as well as financially. However, before you get into the rigmarole you should go in with your eyes open knowing exactly what to expect, which should help to make the whole process as seamless as possible. It’s also important to bear in mind that 1st Option have incredibly high standards when it comes to arranging shoots for clients, so before deciding whether or not to register check out our top tips to ensure you’ll be able to keep these standards with us.

shoot-of-the-month

Shoot of the Month

Februarys shoot of the month is this month’s edition of British Vogue featuring Kate Moss and Stefano Pilati!

wormland-shoot-at-78-location

Wormland shoot at 78 location

Check out our recent stylish shoot at London location 78 for Wormland…

missguided-in-montagu

Missguided in Montagu

Our lovely colourful shoot location Montagu hosted fashion brand Missguided this week